Pentagon says charity will pay military death benefits, amid outrage over cut-off

The Pentagon announced Wednesday that a charity will step in to pay death benefits to the families of fallen soldiers, in response to widespread
outrage over the payments being cut off amid the partial government shutdown.

So is this how the Pentagon appeases the outrage? To say, "No worries, some charities stepped forward to do the right thing since we don't have the
courage to do it."?

I am sure that the men and women serving in the military are going to understand this kind of explanation! WTF, is this how stupid our government
thinks "WE THE PEOPLE" are?

Well, BRAVO Pentagon and Obama! I am really glad that you are finally showing our troops just how disposable they are by your uncaring and pandering
actions!

Don't worry though. The WWII vets whom already fought for their country already woke the "sleeping giant"! It is a shame that it took them to step
forward to wake the rest of us the hell up, but they did it!

If this isn't a fine example of a "criminal government" and military commanders that don't have the balls to stand up for those whom they command,
I don't know what is.......

BILL TITLE:
Making continuing appropriations for death gratuities and related survivor benefits for survivors of deceased military service members of the
Department of Defense for fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes

Well, what gets me about this, is the fact that whatever genius from the Pentagon said this, it was better left "UNSAID".......See what I mean? No
problem, we get it! Our government is so uncaring that our troops and families have to rely on charities due to our government not being able to
govern, but to actually say what the Pentagon put out is pathetic!

Charity case
(n) A person who never has any money and/or is constantly broke. Yet, this person never has any problem with always asking you to lend him/her some
cash. The biggest problem they have is paying you back on time, if ever.

Oh, I am happy that these charities are stepping up as well! I am sure those they are helping are very grateful!

Maybe I shouldn't be so angry over the whole deal. After all it is just proving what I believed in all along. All this government cares about is the
corporations and lobbyists that help line their pockets.....

I damn them for their hypocrisy toward our military but I guess I can now be thankful that all of their lies have finally caught up to them!

Well isn't social security, medicaid, medicare, etc benefits supposed to state charity?

Since the they are stating that charities will step up in their place, seems they are approving people to stop paying those taxes to them. I guess now
all of us can take those same taxes we were paying and place them towards charities that will be paying those benefits now...you know...since the
government has placed the burden to do so on their shoulders.

That will be 1.1 Trillion dollars that people can now start giving to these charities each year. In fact if every American did so and refused to pay
the government income taxes anymore, the government can't put us all in jail.

That will never happen I fear. But tax protest is the only thing that would change anything. Until a large number of people choose to quit paying
income tax, we will see no change from the government. I say take it a step further. Stop using U.S. currency and switch to bit coins. Create a
community that does that. Even if the government throws you in jail there are ways to safeguard those coins in cyber land.

The services are having to cancel training that was planned years ago because they barely have funding for regular operations. If you're going to
blame someone for this, let's put it where it belongs, which is not the Pentagon.

Maybe your onto something! Stop paying taxes to the government and actually pay them to organizations that wish to do good with the money they
receive!

At least that way the corporations and banks get the screws....

Thumbs up!

There's also one other form of protest that would work as well: going on strike.

Since corporations and government are such bed buddies now, if you were able to organize a strike on a large scale you would theoretically put
pressure on the companies to put pressure on the government. Just an idea.

You know, here in the UK - there are several charities similar to one called 'Help for heroes' that do huge and I mean HUGE amounts of fundraising
campaigns throughout the year, including events such as marathons, North Pole and Everest expeditions, massive prime-time TV campaigns, huge social
networking activity and signing donors up on the high streets.

They sell merchandise, everywhere, such as wrist bands, shirts, hats, coats, posters, stickers, toys, lot's and lot's of stuff... It's a GIANT
organisation...and I admire their efforts and have supported them the best I can.

However, every time I give, I can't help wondering if this group is backed by our shady bunch of shills in Government, who instead of admitting to
cuts in pensions, forces health care, living and support - would find it more cost effective to back PR, promote, market and advertise such charities
and allow the generosity of/enforce the sympathising UK people to pay for These things instead?...

Proves to me that THE people care more about our forces personnel than our self serving chancer's and capitalist fat cats, ever will.

Perhaps the US political and security/ forces elite have witnessed this UK model working and have decided to adopt it?

The services are having to cancel training that was planned years ago because they barely have funding for regular operations. If you're going
to blame someone for this, let's put it where it belongs, which is not the Pentagon.

Are those in the Pentagon really leaders then? Sorry man, but as a vet a leader has a choice, they can honor their oath OR they can blindly take
orders from their commanders in the government. Those military leaders whom are willing to abandon their troops (as it appears at least those in the
Pentagon have) at the least, their abilities to command come into question!!

Honor the oath! I don't see how supporting a boss whom is totally in the wrong, takes precedence in doing the right thing for the troops whom rely on
you making the correct decisions involving their lives and the welfare of their family upon their death!

Those in the pentagon have a choice to either lead, or be puppets to their masters. I am most certain that our military men/women would rather have
leaders.....

As the ole military saying goes, "Lead....OR GET THE eFFFFF out of the way". I think our government would do well to take a look at that statement as
well!

And is it honoring the Oath by sacrificing unit readiness? That's what it comes down to. We already came damn close to losing a crew this year
because unit readiness was sacrificed to save money, should we do it again? Maybe this time we will lose people.

I'm as pissed about this as you are, but losing unit readiness (or risking it), would be just as bad, and would be a terrible way to honor those who
gave all, as well as those we're asking to.

The ONLY reason that death benefits were frozen was to make a political statement, so I will reserve my ire for the bottom feeders that claim to
represent me.

Fox just reported that because of the shutdown, the families of four soldiers killed in action, didn't have transport provided so they could go to
Dover and receive the remains of their loved ones.

Disgusting.

As an ex member of the armed forces, i wonder just how much soldiers are aware of when they are actually serving? I joined at 16 years old, served 9
years, but to be honest i didn't realize just how bad the administrations treated the forces until i left.

IMO, you become a stronger person once you leave the forces. You get to see how little the government really think of you.

Although it's a horrible thing to hear, i hope that every soldier abroad right now gets to hear about this. Hopefully they'll be strong enough to
tell the administration where to stick it. I appreciate that it's easier said than done when you are supporting a family back home, but if the worst
happens during the shutdown, the government certainly won't be there for your loved ones.

And is it honoring the Oath by sacrificing unit readiness? That's what it comes down to. We already came damn close to losing a crew this year
because unit readiness was sacrificed to save money, should we do it again? Maybe this time we will lose people.

I'm as pissed about this as you are, but losing unit readiness (or risking it), would be just as bad, and would be a terrible way to honor those who
gave all, as well as those we're asking to.

The ONLY reason that death benefits were frozen was to make a political statement, so I will reserve my ire for the bottom feeders that claim to
represent me.

I am not arguing your point! Unit readiness after all is very important for how your troops are equipped to battle. No argument there at all.

I enjoy all of your posts where you educate me on aircraft. I really do. I have learned more from you about our aircrafts on ATS than I ever would
have if left on my own to discover it for myself.

My point was how the Pentagon just took a "BLAH" stance on their response. They should have just said, "NO COMMENT" and referred questions to the
WH.

My ire is towards families whom have to already suffer do to losing a loved one, and the responses from our government AND this latest response from
the Pentagon......

Oh I know, I apologize if that came across harsh, it wasn't intended to.

For the most part I agree with you, and there may have been more they can do, but between sequestration and the shutdown the military is between a
rock and a hard place, and having to make some ugly choices.

This reminds me of a book I read along time ago called The Dragons of Pern.

Point being if your really good at what you do for your country or master's in the case of the dragon's betrayal is almost certain, its the only way
inadequate ( like government) people can retain there self respect is by exhibiting there power over you.

Wouldn't this give any military member a way out of the now bogus contract they signed when joining? Breech of contract?
Funny but this actually gives our military the power to pull out of these other countries right now no permission needed..

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